


Shattered

by AngieTheLiveWire



Series: Dark Side of the Moon [1]
Category: Tangled (2010), Tangled: The Series (Cartoon)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Aftermath of Torture, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Enemies to Friends, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I'm Sorry, Moon Powers Varian (Disney), Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Panic Attacks, Please Don't Hate Me, The OC has taken over, Violence, Zoë is so done with royalty, and she is punching everyone, i apologize for my horrible description
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-12
Updated: 2019-02-17
Packaged: 2019-08-22 21:05:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16605431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngieTheLiveWire/pseuds/AngieTheLiveWire
Summary: One month after the battle in Old Corona, Varian is broken out of prison by a mysterious girl named Zoe who finally tells him the truth about himself: he holds the power of the Moondrop. As the unlikely pair journey to the Dark Kingdom, Varian finds himself doubting everything he once believed.Despite the fact that Zoe seems to be hiding something, Varian can't help but grow closer to her, until a heart wrenching realization tears his world apart again.Once again thrust into a world of magic, lies, and betrayal, Varian's only hope for survival is someone he doesn't know he can trust. But Zoe is done breaking promises. And she is willing to protect Varian no matter what the cost. Even if it means doing what she fears most.





	1. Prologue: One Last Moment

**Author's Note:**

> hi! welcome to the prologue. so just to warn you, this prologue doesn't include characters from the show. but don't let that make you stop reading! Varian is in the next chapter, so no worries. i just wanted to introduce Zoe. enjoy!

Zoë ran throughout the forest, laughing her head off. She had never felt so free. She had finally done it. She had left Zhan Tiri’s dreary caverns for a new world where she could feel the sun on her skin and the wind in her hair, could hear birds chirping and people laughing. 

This was absolute bliss. 

Not too far behind her, Sol was jogging along, trying his best to keep up. “You know, you’re going to open the wounds again if you aren’t careful!” 

Zoë didn’t answer, but she did slow down a little. Her wounds had finally stopped bleeding on a daily basis, and she didn’t want to have to change the bandages again, at least until they reached Demanitus. 

Zoë turned around and continued walking, backwards now. “How far away is Lord Demanitus?”  
Sol shrugged. “Two days maybe? If we hurry we could make it by tomorrow afternoon.” 

Sol finally caught up and Zoë took him by the hand, leaning against him as they walked together. Worry tugged at the back of her mind, and Zoë frowned. “Do you think everyone will forgive me?” 

Sol planted a kiss on her forehead. “They will, eventually,” he replied gently. “But what matters is that you’re safe.” 

Zoë managed a small smile. “Right.” 

Safe. The word had never applied to her. Back at the Dark Mountain, there was always the constant threat of attack. Strange to think that the ones who attacked were now technically her allies. And whether they forgave her or not, at least she had Sol. He would protect her. 

A gentle breeze passed by, and Zoë smirked mischievously. Subtly waving her hand, she strengthened the wind, sending a clump of leaves directly into Sol’s face. 

“Hey!” 

Zoë burst out laughing. Sol lunged at her, his blue eyes glinting playfully. With a flick of her wrist, Zoë flew off the ground, landing on a tree branch twenty feet in air, turning around just in time to watch Sol fall flat on his face, sending Zoë into another fit of giggles. 

Sol groaned and picked himself up off the ground, brushing the dirt off his clothes. “How come you had to be the one born with magic?” he complained. 

Zoë laughed again and hopped to another tree branch. “At least _you_ aren’t cursed!” 

That was the thing about being with Sol. Zoë hated her curse. But when she was with her twin, she could joke about it without a care in the world. 

Sol chuckled. “At least _you_ aren’t the commander of an entire army! Do you have any idea how stressful that is?” 

Zoë rolled her eyes. “Until a week ago I _was_ a commander,” she reminded him. “I’m kind of missing that responsibility already.” 

Zoë tilted her head in thought. “Hey!” She snapped her fingers and a gust of wind carried Sol up into the trees. Zoë was too busy thinking to notice his shout of surprise. “Do you think Demanitus would let me into his army?” 

It was pretty crazy for her to think that Demanitus might even _consider_ letting her into his army. But she wanted to at least try and help. After all, she knew more about the Brethren of Zhan Tiri more than anyone. 

“I think he’d be more than willing. Especially if we can prove to him that you’re on our side.” Sol looked pointedly at Zoë’s bandages. She curled in on herself a little. She didn’t really want to show anyone what Zhan Tiri had done to her, but if it meant gaining Demanitus’ trust, _maybe_ she would be willing….. 

“You don’t have to worry, sis,” Sol continued. “Demanitus won’t judge you. He can tell when someone is sincere. He’ll understand what you’ve been through.”  
Sol wrapped his arm around Zoë’s shoulders. “You’ll be ok.” 

Zoë leaned into Sol’s embrace, enjoying the comfort it brought her. There was no one she trusted more than him (and quite frankly, he was the only person she trusted), and if he believed that Demanitus would forgive her, then she could believe it too. 

But one thing she could never believe? That Zhan Tiri had ever told her a single truth. Everything he had ever said to her, it _had_ to have been a lie. Besides, if he had truly meant what he had told her, he never would have tortured her to near _death_. 

Which brought back to mind her worst fear. 

“What if-“ Zoë swallowed anxiously. “What if he comes after me?” 

Sol cupped her cheek as gently as possible, turning her head to face him. He looked conflicted, as if he was contemplating something. “If it ever happens-“ Sol began seriously. “Then I’ll protect you to my last breath. And if I can’t stop him…..then _you_ can.” 

Zoë flinched. “Sol…..I _never_ want to do that again.” 

Sol stroked her cheek, his eyes sad. “I know. But I feel like this war-it’s not going to end, Zoë.”

“But Demanitus-“ 

“Do you really think Demanitus can end this?” Sol interrupted. “He doesn’t have the power to stop Zhan Tiri. _You do_.” 

Zoë stared down at her hands, sudden tears welling in her eyes. “But if it comes to-doing that, what if I just _can’t_ , Sol?” Zoë desperately wanted him to be wrong, she didn’t want to have to unleash her curse again. “If I hurt someone else- if I hurt _you_ -“ 

“I’d sooner die by your hand than by Zhan Tiri’s,” Sol admitted. “But you could never hurt me, sis.” 

Zoë wanted to scream, tell Sol that he was _wrong_ , that she could _never_ stop Zhan Tiri on her own. But deep down, she knew he was right. Unless the prophecy turned out to be true (which she highly doubted), only she had the power to stop Zhan Tiri. 

It was almost funny how he had created his own weakness. 

“Sis.” 

Zoe looked up, desperate for a way out of her conflicted mind. Sol seemed to have read her thoughts. “Come on.” 

He took Zoë by the hand and began climbing down the tree. Zoë could have brought them down with the wind, but she didn’t feel like using her powers after that discussion. Sol seemed to understand. 

He helped Zoë down from the tree and began leading her back through the forest, in a different direction than they had originally been going. 

“Where are we going?” 

“I want to show you something.” 

Zoë was curious, but she stayed silent as Sol guided her through the trees, the light slowly dimming as the sun began to set. Sol seemed to know where he was going, and Zoe was content to just walk in silence, enjoying the relaxing sounds of the forest. 

She had missed moments like this. After Zhan Tiri had become suspicious of her sneaking out to see someone, she had barely gotten to visit Sol. But now, she could see him whenever she wanted. They would get to enjoy nighttime walks in the moonlight, practicing sword fighting together (not that Zoë needed practice). 

After nearly an hour of walking steadily uphill, Sol finally stopped. 

“Close your eyes,” he instructed, taking Zoë’s hand again. Zoë poked him in the chest. “Why?” 

Sol laughed. “Just do it.” 

Zoë closed her eyes, and Sol slowly led her forward. The terrain changed from earthy to rocky, and Zoë could feel a strong wind on her face. 

Sol guided her to a stop, and stood behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders. “You can open them now.” 

Zoë opened her eyes, and her jaw dropped. She was standing at the edge of a high cliff, surrounded by mountains, a beautiful valley below her. A twisting river cut the valley in half, expanding into a lake right below the cliff. Trees dotted the hilly landscape, and Zoe could just make out a waterfall on the other side of the valley. 

She sighed in contentment. This place was perfect. Sol wrapped his arms around her. “I thought you’d like it.” 

Zoë playfully elbowed him in the stomach. “Are you kidding? This is _amazing_!” 

Sol grinned, rubbing his stomach. “Well, you would have hit me harder if you didn’t like it, so….it’s a win for both of us?” 

“I guess so.” 

Zoë rested her head on Sol’s shoulder, gazing out over that piece of paradise, for once at peace. 

Sol gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “Someday, I’ll make all this yours,” he said finally. “I promise.” 

Zoë smiled, fingering her crescent moon amulet that matched Sol’s. “You mean _ours_ ,” she corrected. “It’ll all be ours.”

She was terrified to start a new life. A new life in a new place where everyone might hate her for what she had done. But standing here now, watching the sun set with the person she loved the most, somehow made it all worthwhile. 

Right now, everything was perfect. She had her brother by her side, his promise held close to her heart, and the entire world waiting for her. Zoë had sacrificed nearly everything for this perfect moment. 

Little did she know it was about to end.


	2. A Dream and a Promise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Varian tries to endure constant nightmares and torture while in Corona, and after years of waiting, Zoe finally makes her move.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi! sorry I'm late! (by four days) Life is hectic and this chapter was fighting me. I apologize for any grammar mistakes or inconsistency with anything.  
> Chapter warnings: torture. I don't actually have a torture scene, just the aftermath, but it's pretty obvious as to what is going on.  
> Apologies in advance for everything I'm about to do. Please don't hate me.

Varian was surrounded by darkness. An empty void of darkness that made a chill seep into his bones and made his skin crawl. No matter which way he turned he couldn’t see a thing. 

Varian was starting to panic. “H-Hello?” he called shakily. “Is-is there anyone here?” 

No one answered. He was alone in this dark world, and it terrified him. 

After wandering through the infinite black for what felt like an eternity, Varian finally saw a pinprick of light in the distance. By now he had become so frightened that he could barely think. He just ran. 

“Hello?” Varian called again, an inkling of hope igniting in his chest. “Please, _somebody!_ I’m over here!” 

As he drew closer to the light, he started to notice something strange. The light was emanating from a thick fog, in an ugly shade of violet. It looked _wrong._

Out of the fog emerged a tall figure, and Varian’s heart sank. 

A monstrous creature loomed over him, it’s sickly green eyes glaring out from the giant ram’s skull that was its head. 

Varian’s eyes widened, and he instinctively took a step back, hands coming up defensively. “Who-Who are you?” 

The monster grinned. “I have found you at last, Moondrop.” 

For a moment, fear gave way to confusion when the monster spoke. _Moondrop?_

Varian stared blankly at the creature, almost forgetting that it possibly posed a danger to him. What on earth was it talking about? And why was it calling him Moondrop? He didn’t know what the word meant, much less why it would apply to him. And why-? 

Varian was abruptly snapped out of his thoughts as the monster suddenly reached out with a clawed hand, an orb of green - wait, was that _fire?_ \- appearing in its palm. 

Varian froze. His instincts screamed at him to _run_ , to get away from that thing, but he was absolutely paralyzed with fear. 

_“Look out!”_

There was a flash of white, and then Varian was shoved to the ground, the fire ball sailing over his head and into the darkness. The monster roared angrily, and gust of icy cold wind wailed back. 

Varian whipped his head around, turning back to the monster which was surely getting ready to strike again and - _there was a girl._

She stood over him, her striking white hair waving crazily in the sudden wind, her arms raised, seemingly blocking the monster with a shield of wind itself. 

Her piercing blue eyes turned down to stare at Varian. _“Go!”_ she yelled over the sound of the wind and the monster’s howls of rage. “Get out of here!” 

The monster launched another ball of green fire, which fizzled out against the girl’s shields. 

She staggered back a little, her face growing pale. “ _I can’t hold him off forever_! Just go!” 

Varian didn’t budge. The girl was obviously getting tired, her shields weakening against the monster’s relentless attacks. She would _die._

Varian’s blood ran cold. He didn’t know this girl, or even why she was protecting him, but couldn’t just leave her to get killed by that _thing_. 

Before Varian could do anything, the monster threw more fire, and the girl dove out of the way, tackling Varian to the ground again. 

In an instant, she was back on her feet, and her hands flew up, sending a stream of concentrated wind streaked with blue light at the monster, wind meeting fire in one last desperate attempt to hold the creature off. 

“It’ll _kill_ you!” 

“I’m not abandoning you!” the girl yelled, her light weakening. Her eyes met Varian’s, her gaze full of fierce determination. “ _I don’t turn my back on family_!” 

The monster finally prevailed, its fire engulfing the girl in flames. Varian heard her scream, and then he was once again plunged into darkness. 

~•~

Varian sat bolt upright, and instantly tumbled off the bed and onto the the hard, cold stone floor of his cell. 

_Oh, right_ , he thought to himself bitterly as he glared at the floor. Yesterday hadn’t been a nightmare like he’d hoped it was, he was really locked up in Corona’s dungeons, at the mercy of the rotten people who had abandoned him. 

After arriving back at the castle the previous morning, the guards had thrown him in the lowest level of dungeon where there were no other prisoners and left without so much as a word. After that, Varian hadn’t seen a single human being until sunset, when a guard brought him dinner, which he hadn’t touched. 

He hadn’t fallen asleep until almost midnight, judging by the moon’s position when he had last glanced out the barred window. It was a miracle he had gotten any sleep at all, he had barely shut his eyes since the blizzard. 

Ever since the nightmares had started. 

It was always the same one, over and over. Wandering through an endless darkness, a monster coming out of a cloud of fog, and a strange girl with white hair protecting him. 

Varian didn’t believe in dreams with meanings, dreams were just images the mind produced, nothing more. But something about that girl was familiar, like he had seen her before, like she _knew him._

It was stupid to think that. Varian knew it was crazy, she didn’t exist, just like the monster from the nightmare. But he couldn’t help but hold onto her, real or not, she was all he had left- 

Varian’s thoughts were interrupted by something nudging his arm. He looked down and smiled as Ruddiger climbed onto his lap. He stroked a gloved hand over his pet’s back, Ruddiger letting out a yawn in response. Ok, he had Ruddiger too. 

A raccoon and an imaginary girl. He was definitely going crazy. It _wasn’t_ his fault though. If those royals hadn’t ignored the problem with the black rocks, hadn’t ignored _him_ , then he wouldn’t be here right now, having nightmares of monsters and strange girls and being blamed for every single disaster that fell upon the kingdom. 

Varian scowled as he picked Ruddiger up and plopped back down on his bed. It was _their_ fault, he reminded himself for the millionth time. It was their fault he wasn’t at home right now, testing out some new invention and being with dad. 

Guilt pricked at him and Varian pushed it down. _It’s not my fault, it’s theirs_ , he told himself again. _Their fault, they-_

Varian’s thoughts were again interrupted by the sound of a door opening. Footsteps echoed down the dungeon hall, drawing ever closer. He fixed his glare on the wall opposite him. Whoever was here to see him, he wasn’t going to show them any respect by looking them in the eye. 

Out of the corner of his eye, Varian saw a few guards come into view, followed by king Frederic. He had to resist the urge to snort. What did the king think he needed protection from? _Sarcastic comments?_

The king didn’t bother to say hello. “Varian, there are some things we need to discuss.” 

“Like _what_ , my execution date?” Varian asked coldly. He could almost feel Frederic wince. 

“I don’t want to kill you, Varian, I want to help you, and your father,” Frederic said calmly. 

This time, Varian did snort. _“Really_?” he smiled bitterly. “Should’ve thought of that over a month ago, _your majesty_.” 

Frederic ignored him. Again. “I refuse to take no for an answer. You endangered my people, and my family. You’re lucky the princess asked me to go easy on you.” 

Varian’s fists clenched. _Rapunzel_. Of _course _she had asked that. Always trying to do “good” and help others, even if it was someone she had betrayed and abandoned.__

____

Varian _hated_ it. 

Unable to control himself, he threw himself at the bars, squeezing the cold metal so tightly his knuckles turned white underneath his gloves. He was too infuriated to notice Ruddiger’s concerned chittering from behind him. 

“Why don’t _I_ ask you something, your majesty?” Varian sneered at Frederic. “ _Why_ is it that you suddenly seem to _care?_ My father is trapped because of _your daughter_ , and you didn’t seem to notice him until _now_! What made you change your mind? Did you suddenly remember that he called you a _friend?!”_

Frederic’s eyes narrowed. “Your father _is_ my friend,” he stated. Varian didn’t believe him one bit. 

“Which is why I’m doing this for you,” Frederic continued, gesturing to the side. A tall man stepped into Varian’s line of sight. He looked to be about in his mid fifties, his head was bald, the dim light glinting off his spectacles, the crisp white coat he wore indicating _doctor_. 

“This is Dr. Orville, he will be in charge of you while you are here. I have high hopes that he will be able to help you.” 

Varian turned his glare back on Frederic. “If you think I’m going to listen to you-“ 

Frederic’s gaze hardened. “You don’t have a _choice_ ,” he interrupted flatly. “Doctor, I expect a report on his progress at the end of each week.”  
Orville nodded, his eyes glinting with a sort of ferocity that made Varian’s skin crawl. 

“Don’t worry, your majesty,” Orville said in an almost gleeful tone. “You _won’t_ be disappointed.” 

~•~ 

(24 hours ago....) 

Morning sunlight filtered through the trees, casting shadows on the small campsite in the middle of the forest. 

A fire crackled away in its makeshift pit, sending tendrils of smoke into the brightening sky. 

Zoë’s body lay curled up by a tree, her consciousness projected in an astral form, far away in Corona. 

She normally would just listen in with the shard of glass from her old window, but today she needed to hear and _see_ the whole story (sometimes she wished she could’ve brought the whole window). 

Her invisible astral form hovered over the destroyed village of Old Corona, the images of the last few hours burned into her brain, and it was only getting worse. 

Zoë watched with horror as the black rocks, controlled by princess Rapunzel, destroyed the last of the automatons, one of the deadly spires just _barely_ missing the very person she was supposed to be protecting. 

Varian. 

She hadn’t seen him since he was a baby, only heard his voice through her glass shard. But watching him now, seeing how broken he had become, made her heart ache. 

The fact that he looked like Sol didn’t help either. 

She had to watch as the guards chained him up and hauled him off to the dungeons, while everyone else forgot about him. Oh _sure_ , the king _said_ he would try to help him, but why should she trust a king -who had done worse things than Varian _ever_ had- to help her best friend's son? 

Zoë forced her astral form back to her body and was awake in an instant. She couldn’t take any more of it. 

This was all her fault. 

She had promised his father she would _always_ watch him, always make sure no harm would come to him. A lot of good that did. 

She knew that she should have gone to him right after the blizzard, right after he started that downward spiral. But she hadn't, all because she was afraid of some stupid demon trying to free Zhan Tiri. 

And now, because of her, Varian had nearly killed people. She hated herself for being such a coward. 

"What happened?" 

Zoë turned towards the shadows, where a cloaked man emerged with an armful of firewood. Had he been watching her the whole time? Demanitus was known for his sneakiness but it still got on her nerves. "Nothing good," she admitted. Demanitus nodded like he had been expecting to hear it. "And the princess?" 

Zoë shrugged. "What we were expecting. She's going to the Dark Kingdom." 

Immediately after she said the words, she winced. She was going to the _Dark Kingdom_. And she was leaving Varian behind. That wasn't supposed to happen. Demanitus seemed to have read her thoughts. "I'll contact Adira and ask her to get him." 

Zoë raised an eyebrow. Why Adira? In her mind, a plan was already coming together. _She_ could get Varian _(and maybe get a chance to punch that good for nothing king)_ , take him to the Dark Kingdom and.....oh.... _.right_. 

_Edmund._

How long had it been? Almost forty years now? Would he forgive her for....? 

Zoë shook her head. She was only making things seem more complicated than they already were. She had a promise to keep. That was what mattered, not her past regrets. "I'll get him." 

Zoë almost slapped herself. She hadn't meant to say it _out loud_ , she could've just slipped off in the middle of the night and avoided a whole debate but now... 

"What?" Demanitus looked appalled. " _You_ want to get him?” 

Zoë nodded slowly. “Yeah.” She stood up, brushing the dirt off her skirt and slinging her satchel over her shoulder. “I think I’ll go _now_ , actually. Bye.” 

Zoë made a wide arc around the old inventor, heading towards the path leading out of the woods. 

“Wait.” 

Zoë cringed. Yep, she definitely shouldn't have said anything. _Darn it girl - why do you_ never _think these things through?_

Zoë turned to face Demanitus, putting on the most innocent face she could muster. “Yes?” 

Demanitus didn’t look convinced. “I don’t think you should go.” He spoke with a sort of finality, something Zoë interpreted as: _there’s no way you’re leaving my sight._

Zoë felt a tendril of frustration creep its way into her head. “Manny, I can’t just _sit here!”_

“I just think it would be better if Adira-“ 

“Fourteen years ago I made a promise to Quirin,” Zoë interrupted. “I am _not_ breaking that promise.” 

Manny’s eyes narrowed (Zoë suddenly realized it probably wasn’t the best time to be using his nickname). “Fourteen years ago you also went against my wishes,” he said flatly. <

“Varian would have _died_! And I don’t listen to anyone, _you_ of all people should know that!” Zoë ran her hands through her hair, trying to control her anger. She truly cared about Manny, but he still got on her nerves and to be honest, he didn’t understand her. 

Probably because not even _he_ knew everything about her past. 

“I know, Zoë, but what you did caused the prophecy to-“ 

“I set it off, I know! _‘Saved by the wind, chosen by the moon’_ I get it! But Varian was _this close_ to awakening his powers!” Zoë held up her forefinger and thumb, millimeters apart from each other to emphasize her point. “If it happens, and I’m _not there-_ Frederic will take it the wrong way, I _know_ he will!” 

Manny sighed. “I understand, but you can be reckless, and I don’t want anyone to get hurt. Remember what happened in Neothien?” 

Zoë lost it. 

“This is about _me??!!_ You don’t want me to go because you think I’ll _hurt people??_ This isn’t Neothien, Manny! I’m not going to kill anyone! I made a promise, and I’m _not_ abandoning Varian! I am _not_ going to let him end up like _me!”_

Zoë staggered back, suddenly dizzy. Her breathing was erratic, her heart pounding in her chest. She hadn’t lost her temper like that in _years_. It was almost scary, just how quickly she had gone off. She stared at the ground, trying to relax. Manny wasn’t entirely wrong, she was a little reckless, and if the last few minutes had told her anything, she was definitely going to lose her temper with someone sooner or later. And then she’d have even _more_ guilt to deal with. _No...not now..._

Zoë mercilessly snuffed out her feelings. She couldn’t afford to think about her guilt right now. _Don’t think about it_ , she told herself. _Varian needs you._

Zoë managed a few deep breaths before speaking again. “I _promised_ I would protect him,” Zoë murmured softly. Her icy blue eyes met Manny’s, her gaze just hard enough to get the point across. “And we both know what happened last time I broke a promise.” 

~•~ 

Varian gasped for air. 

He was strapped down to a table, soaking wet, Orville standing over him with a malicious smirk on his face. “I think that’s enough for today, isn’t it?” 

Varian didn’t answer, he was too busy trying to breathe. He heard footsteps, then a door opening. 

“I’ll be back in a moment with the king.” 

The door slammed shut, and Varian frantically started pulling at his restraints, the the thick leather digging into his raw skin. Deep down, he knew it was no use. The one time he had almost managed to free himself had resulted in Orville tightening the straps even more, almost tight enough to cut off his circulation. 

Varian bit his lip and tugged harder, desperately holding back the tears gathering in his eyes as his wrists began to bleed. 

He had been going through this three times a week for a whole month. Hours on end of feeling like he was drowning, only for Orville to say that he still needed more “treatment.” 

Not only had this torture given him a deathly fear of water, it had made him afraid of _Orville_. 

Varian could plainly see that the man was psychotic. A week after the torture began, Varian had started begging for Orville to stop, and he had actually _laughed_. He seemed to delight in the torture he was inflicting on Varian, and he even seemed to have convinced Frederic that it was actual medical treatment. 

Varian had never hated anyone more in his life. 

The door opened again, and Orville pranced in, closely followed by Frederic, who stared down at Varian disdainfully. “Has he shown any improvement?”  
Orville shook his head. “He is still refusing to admit to anything, all he does is beg me to stop.” 

Varian glared at the doctor. 

Frederic’s eyebrows creased. “Will it work at all? It’s been a month.”  
Orville nodded, his eyes glinting. “It always does, eventually. All my patients have eventually relented to the treatment.” 

Frederic gave Varian one last look before giving a nod of his own. “Thank you, Doctor, I’ll send the guards to get him.” 

Frederic exited the room, and Orville’s respectful smile dropped and he grabbed Varian by the shirt, pulling him up to face him, increasing the strain on Varian’s already injured wrists. 

“You can beg all you want,” Orville snarled. “But in the end, you _will_ break. And that will make it all the much easier for us when _he_ comes for you.” 

Varian stared at Orville fearfully. “What-What are you t-talking about?” he stammered. 

A large grin spread across Orville’s face. “I _can’t wait_ for you to find out.” 

Varian was almost relieved when the guards finally dragged him back to his cell, still soaking wet and freezing. They left him shivering on the floor, and Ruddiger crawled out from underneath the bed, giving him a gentle nudge on the shoulder with his nose. 

Varian pulled Ruddiger into his arms, and only when he had buried his face in his pet’s fur did he finally allow himself to cry. The tears and sobs came pouring out of him in a relentless torrent, his entire body trembling from the force of it. 

He hated it. _All of it._

He hated not having his dad here. He hated Rapunzel, the king, and all of Corona. He hated Orville and his never ending torture and his crazy talk. He hated that he had become so weak that he had actually begged for it all to stop. He hated the nightmare he kept having over and over again with no explanation. It was all too much and he just _couldn’t take it anymore._

The image of the strange girl flashed before Varian’s eyes as he began to slip into unconsciousness. 

_Help me!_

Varian didn’t know if he was going crazy by thinking this. She wasn’t real, and she wasn’t coming. But he was desperate. He needed some shred of hope to hold onto, _something_ to keep him from completely losing him mind. 

_Please....whoever you are, just help me...._

~•~ 

Zoë crouched on top of the Corona wall, her hair dancing in the breeze. The moon was slowly sinking, the celestial body illuminating the silhouette of the distant castle. The next night would be the full moon, meaning Zoë had to rescue Varian today or her entire plan would be useless for _another_ month. 

She could’ve arrived in Corona sooner, but the stupid other winds weren’t interested in helping speed her up. It wasn’t _her_ fault they had had thousands of years more practice than she did. But now all those old men did was pick their noses and gawk at old ladies. Zoë was grateful she was the only one with eternal youth. 

She wished she knew exactly _what_ was going on with Varian. Zoë had sensed something was wrong (like _really_ wrong), but she didn’t know what because she had left her glass shard with Manny, and astral projection was a feat that required a level of concentration and calmness that she never had the patience for her to do it often. 

Zoë forced herself to focus as her eyes darted across the landscape, searching for the best path to the castle. It couldn’t take any more than a few hours, and then, depending on how long it took her to convince Varian to come with her, she could be out of the castle by noon. Getting in was the easy part. Getting out _with_ Varian, plus crossing another little thing off her to do list, might be a little more difficult, but it wasn’t anything she couldn’t handle. 

The moon finally sank below the horizon, Zoë drinking in the last of its light, relaxing her sore muscles and renewing her energy. 

It was now or never. 

Zoë reached into her boot, her fingers grazing Sol’s old amulet, the feeling of the cool moonstone helping to ground her. She took a deep breath and jumped off the wall, the wind slowing her fall only inches from the ground, and she took off running towards the castle. 

She hadn’t done something like this in years. For a moment, she got back that same feeling of freedom she had possessed whenever she was with Sol. Zoë smiled to herself. 

_Let the fun begin._

~•~ 

_Zoë cooed at the week old baby in her arms, a real smile on her face for the first time in years._

_“You’re the most precious thing, aren’t you, Varian?” she asked in baby talk. “Yes you are!”_

_Varian’s tiny hand loosened its grip around her finger as he began to drift off to sleep. Zoë laid him down in his crib, fingering the blue streak in his silky black locks before turning to the door, where Quirin was waiting._

_“He’ll be alright,” Zoë assured him quietly. “I’m just...I’m sorry I couldn’t save Lydia too,” she apologized. If Quirin felt any emotion at her statement, he didn’t show it. He crossed the room, resting his gloved hands on the edge of the crib._

_“His powers are hidden?”_

_Zoë nodded gravely. “Only I can release them. But...”_

_“But what?” Quirin asked, a hint of panic in his eyes. Zoë cautiously laid a hand on his shoulder. “But-“ she began slowly, “as he gets older, the more likely he is to awaken them on his own.”  
That was the fatal flaw in her plan to save Varian. If he happened to awaken his powers on his own, he would be in great danger. Just_ giving _him the powers had put him in danger, but Zoë didn’t regret it. It had been the only way to save his life. But unfortunately, not his mother’s, Zoë thought with a pang of guilt._

_Quirin sighed tiredly, suddenly looking ten years older._

_“If-“ Quirin looked conflicted, his brows creasing together. “If by any chance, something goes wrong, promise me you’ll keep him safe.”_

_Zoë looked down at the boy with the blue streak in his hair, the child who held unimaginable power. “I promise.”_

_I won't let him take you away too._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! tune in on December 2 (hopefully) for Zoe and Varian's first meeting in fourteen years!  
> ps. remember Orville, he's going to be important later on. also, he's in for a real wake up call soon.  
> kudos and comments are greatly appreciated, and i'll see you soon!


	3. Old Habits Die Hard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Varian and Zoe meet, secrets are revealed, people are knocked out, and pasts are hinted at. All in all, it's a long morning for everyone.  
> Alternatively: where did all the humor I had planned go? Oh, wait, there it is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow, its been a really long time since I updated. I'm really sorry it took so long. Quick thing, if you want to see previews for upcoming chapters, check out my tumblr. i'm under the same username. Don't let me make you wait any longer. Enjoy!  
> Warnings: panic attacks, mild language, violence, blood, death threats. Let me know if i missed anything!

Zoë’s light footsteps quietly echoed in the dim hallways as she crept through Corona’s castle. The light shining from the half-risen sun had barely reached the windows, leaving long shadows still stretching on the walls and cold marble floors, giving the whole castle an eerie feel. 

The darkness didn’t bother Zoë, considering it had made it much simpler for her to slip into the shadows and out of sight whenever the occasional guard or servant passed by. In fact, she preferred the dark, when the Moon was out, its rays shining down on her and filling her with energy. 

Now that she was thinking of it, it probably would’ve been better to break into the castle at night. There would’ve been less people to risk bumping into, but she hadn’t arrived in Corona until the Moon was sinking, and she couldn’t afford to wait until the next Moonrise. 

Tonight’s full Moon was essential to her plans. It was the only time when Zoë would have the ability to reawaken Varian’s powers without having to astral project. It was probably one of the biggest risks she had ever taken, but Zoë didn’t see any other option. Besides, her worries about Varian’s powers mostly revolved around him being alone when they revealed themselves to him. She was the one who had given him those powers, so nothing would go wrong if she was the one to bring them out of their dormancy (hopefully). 

That didn’t change the fact that Demanitus would be furious, not to mention _Quirin_ (if he ever got the chance to find out). Fourteen years of keeping Varian’s powers a secret would all go to waste. But Zoë had a gut feeling that he would need them, and she trusted her instincts. 

Still, the whole plan relied on whether or not Varian _wanted_ her to awaken his powers. Sure, Zoë went with her gut, but if Varian’s gut was telling him no? She didn’t think she’d be able to force it. He’d been forced into doing things he didn’t want enough times already. Zoë wasn’t going to continue the cycle. 

Varian might not even believe her, anyway. A (sort of) teenage girl who he didn’t know claiming that he had unimaginable power sounded stupid, even to _her,_ and pretty everything she did these days was stupid. 

And even if he thought she was lying, and refused to let her awaken his powers, Zoë would still protect him. That was the entire reason she was here in the first place, to keep her promise to Quirin, regardless of the fact that Varian didn’t know her. A promise was a promise, and promises weren’t made to be broken, at least not in Zoë’s case. The one time it had happened... 

Zoë furiously shook her head. She _had_ told stop thinking about that and just get a grip. Of all the things she regretted, why was that the _one thing_ she couldn’t ever push to the back of her mind? 

_Just stop thinking about it_ , she reminded herself for what was probably the thousandth time. _It happened three centuries ago and it’s not going to happen again. You need to focus on what’s important right now, like- oh I don’t know- finding Varian!_

Zoë forced herself to accept the thought, glad to be (if only temporarily) rid of the reminders of her one of her greatest regrets. Varian needed her now, she could worry about her own problems later. Eventually. 

Spending the past month focusing on protecting Varian had made Zoë realize just how little she actually _knew_ him. Before the blizzard, she had maybe used her glass shard to check in once or twice a year. And even though in recent months she had been eavesdropping almost every day, she still couldn’t say she really knew Varian. She knew a lot _about_ him, but it wasn’t the same.

She might as well have been living under a rock. 

Besides, he had... _changed_ , after the blizzard. All the parts of him that she _had_ known had disappeared under a mask of pain and rage. Zoë couldn’t blame him, she knew what it was like to lose a father, and the scars still hadn’t healed, they probably never would ( _no, no, don’t you **dare** think about him_). Trauma could do horrible things to a person, and without anyone there for him after it had happened.... Zoë didn’t know how Varian had found the strength to do all that he did. His tenacity was impressive. And also slightly terrifying. 

Zoë couldn’t say that she approved of the extreme lengths Varian had gone to for revenge. Nor could she disapprove it, not when she had gone even farther than Varian had in pursuit of vengeance. 

She couldn’t blame him for any of it, really. She understood why he had done it. He had been abandoned, left alone just after losing the only family he knew, and it had made him snap. But did it really justify his actions? Zoë _knew_ it was wrong, but she couldn’t bring herself to judge him, and she didn’t know why. It was all so confusing.

Zoë neared another corner, rubbing her temples in frustration. If she didn’t stop thinking like this her brain was going to explode. She was _never_ this serious. Probably the sleep deprivation- 

Someone unexpectedly rounded the corner, startling her, and Zoë instinctively reacted. Her fist almost immediately collided with the unlucky person’s face, sending them crumbling to the floor in an unconscious heap. “ _Sorry_!”

Zoë winced and glanced around anxiously, rubbing at the throbbing knuckles of her left hand. She couldn’t afford to get caught now. Getting Varian out would be a lot harder if the entire castle was hunting for her. Stealth wasn’t exactly her strong suit, she had gotten this far with mostly luck. 

Fortunately, there were no sounds of approaching footsteps. Zoë breathed a sigh of relief, leaning over to get a closer look at her unfortunate victim. It was a man, tall, spindly, and with a large nose. Zoë couldn’t tell if it was normally that huge or if it was just swelling from the punch. Judging by his clothes, he was probably someone important, maybe a duke or an advisor. 

Ignoring her aching hand and the blood leaking out of the man’s nostrils, Zoë grabbed his arms and started dragging him to the nearest door. This _definitely_ hadn’t been on her to-do list. 

She hadn’t meant to hit him _that_ hard, she hadn’t meant to hit him at _all_ , really, but her first reaction to something that spooked her was usually to punch it. Manny had received more than a few bruises that way over the years. 

It wasn’t like she _enjoyed_ hurting people, but sometimes she couldn’t control herself. It was like a reflex, figuratively and literally. It just _happened_. 

Nudging the door open with her elbow, Zoë hauled the man inside, unceremoniously dropping him on the bloodstained tile floor. _What the-_

Zoë stared at the blood in confusion for a moment before shifting her gaze to search for the source. That was... strange. Who the hell would just leave blood on the floor? And why was it there in the first- her eyes landed on the table in the center of the room. 

Zoë stopped breathing. 

_No._

She _knew_ this place. It like she had taken a step into the past. Chains hanging on the walls, shelves full of tools and instruments that caused only pain, the bucket and pump in the corner.... 

Zoë barely noticed any of it. Her eyes were fixed on the table, old and traumatizing memories rising to the surfaces and pressing in on her, _drowning_ her.... _no, please no_ \- 

The icy claws of panic crawled over her skin, sending chills down her spine. And then they _grabbed_ her, dragging her down into an ocean where it was nothing but _dread_ and she was _drowning- no no no....._

Zoë’s back hit the wall. Her breath came in ragged gasps, her lungs aching for air. _You’re not drowning, you’re **not drowning-**_

_“Let’s play a game, shall we?”_

Zoë’s terror instantly increased tenfold. Her chest felt like it was being crushed. She leaned her head back against the wall, sliding down to the floor as she desperately tried to block out the voice that still haunted her nightmares. 

_A single claw traced her cheek, the sick smile and glowing red eyes gleefully shining out of the darkness. “This will be fun. I always enjoy our little games.” High, cold laughter erupted as the demon smothered her with the rag, and then the water came, pouring down on her mercilessly. She couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t breathe and she was drowning, icy water filling her lungs as the monster continued to laugh._

She wasn’t drowning in water. No, she was drowning in that _sound_ , that awful laugh of a monster whose own immortality depended on his victims’ pain. 

_NO! Snap out of it! He’s gone! Anaar is **gone**!_

Zoë gasped. Cool, sweet air flooded into her lungs. _That’s it, you’re fine, you’re safe. Anaar is gone. Just breathe._

 _1...2...3...._

Zoë focused on breathing, counting the seconds to help slow her heart rate. With something else to focus on, the fear slowly began to dwindle. Her skin was still crawling, but her mind was no longer in such a frenzied panic. 

Zoë lifted a trembling hand to wipe the sweat off her forehead. She had grown used to having panic attacks, rare as they were, but she had always had Demanitus to help, and they were almost _never_ this terrible. 

Her last memory of having a panic attack so intense was in the Dark Kingdom over forty years ago when King Silas had used water-boarding to interrogate a spy. She had happened to witness it and had just completely fallen apart. Luckily Edmund had been there to calm her down. 

Zoë smiled at the thought, relaxing slightly. He and his father had had quite the argument after that incident- _really? Stop reminiscing, girl, you have a place to be!_

Zoë internally groaned. As much as she would’ve liked to rest for just another minute, enjoying the memory of Edmund yelling at his father, Varian needed her. 

Shakily rising to her feet and keeping a hand on the wall for support, Zoë slowly made her way back towards the door. She had barely taken two steps when something else caught her gaze. 

_Seriously? You’re wasting time, forget it._

Zoë almost turned away, but something inside her pleaded for her to look again. 

Her curiosity won out. On one of the shelves lay a pair of black leather gloves. Zoë picked them up, annoyed with herself for getting distracted, yet also intrigued. They looked awfully familiar. Something nagged at her, like a distant memory, or something she had seen in a dream- 

_Varian._

The name had barely registered in Zoë’s mind before she bolted, practically flying out the door and down the hallway. 

It didn’t take long for anger to replace Zoë’s lingering fear. She clenched the gloves tightly in her fist as she ran, adrenaline coursing through her veins. Her blood boiled with pure hatred and rage. 

There was only one person in Corona who had the authority to allow that. And he had just made one of the gravest mistakes of his life. Water-boarding was something Zoë wouldn’t wish on her worst enemy, and Frederic had been allowing someone to do it to a _teenager_. 

_Damn him_. 

With the part of her that wasn’t being fueled by rage, Zoë silently thanked Manny for making her swear not to kill anyone. Who knew what would happen if he hadn’t. 

~•~

The constant sound of water dripping from the ceiling was starting to become unbearable. 

At first, it had just been annoying background noise, something to listen to in the long and dull hours in the dungeon. But after Varian’s first few “therapy sessions,” as Orville had come to call the water-boarding, he had started flinching practically every time he heard it.

Ruddiger, loyal as ever, had sat directly underneath the drip for hours at a time, letting the water soundlessly land on his fur. Varian eventually put a stop to it after the raccoon caught a cold that had lasted a week. As much as he had appreciated not having to listen to the water, it just wasn’t worth his pet’s health. 

Ruddiger was currently curled into a fluffy ball next to Varian, still slumbering peacefully. 

At least one of them had slept well. After practically passing out out the floor last night, Varian had been jolted awake by the same nightmare, and hadn’t been able to close his eyes since. He had eventually settled for just lying in bed with Ruddiger snuggled up next to him. 

Fortunately he didn’t have to see Orville today, otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to lie down at all. The constant anxiety of going back in that room was always worst in the hours leading up to it. The fear of being taken there was almost as bad as the torture itself. Even in his weak physical state, it usually took at least three guards to drag him in there, he always struggled so hard. 

The looks of pity on the guards’ faces were awful too. One of them had actually attempted to _apologize_ for what was being done to him. Like it mattered. It wasn’t like the guard was trying to do anything about it. Yet another reason for Varian to hate Corona, and everyone in it. 

They gave him stares of pity that made him want to sew his eyes shut, and then tossed him back into a freezing cold cell while they led carefree lives, and it _wasn’t fair_. 

What had he done to deserve this? To lose his dad,to be betrayed and abandoned by people he’d called _friends_ , and then locked up and _tortured_ while they were free to do whatever they wanted. 

It hurt him more than it angered him. 

Early morning sunlight was starting to stream through the barred window, brightening up the otherwise dark cell. The light illuminated the thin lines scratched into the wall, an attempted sketch of the girl from Varian’s nightmare. After months of seeing that same face, drawing it somehow helped clear his head, if only a little. 

There was only so much much he could do with a slightly pointed pebble, but Varian had to admit it looked alright. The girl’s hair was swept out to the side as if blowing in a strong gale, arms raised to fend off the monster, and her eyes. As hard as Varian had tried to capture the fierceness in her expression, he just couldn’t do her eyes justice. There was just something about her emotions that a drawing could never show, how desperate but determined she had looked, so fierce yet so gentle when she spoke. 

“ _I don’t turn my back on family!_ ” 

Those words were puzzling, yet oddly soothing in a way. As desperate as Varian was, deep down he knew wishing for the girl to be real was absolutely pointless. He couldn’t remind himself enough that he was clinging to false hope. He _knew_ she didn’t exist. 

Then why did he still hope she would come? 

“Hey!” 

Varian groaned, pressing his pillow against his ears. The guards were at it again. What was it now, who had to go get his breakfast? If he had to listen to one more round of their bickering- 

_CLANG._

Varian pushed himself up on his elbows, staring into the hallway in confusion. That didn’t sound normal. Unless if those two had finally decided to get physical when it came to their arguing, that noise shouldn’t- 

“Sorry!” 

Varian nearly faceplanted onto the floor in his mad scramble to get off the bed without disturbing Ruddiger. He _knew_ that voice. He had heard it dozens of times, laced with desperation and fear and- 

He had barely reached the bars when she came into view. 

_She was real_. 

There was no doubt, it was her. She was about his age, with striking white hair that cascaded down her back like a frozen waterfall, flawless ivory skin with a splash of light freckles across her nose, and piercing blue eyes that filled with relief as she streaked down the hallway towards his cell, nearly tripping over her own feet in her rush. “Varian!” She skidded to a halt on the opposite side of the bars, breathless. “Oh my gosh, are you ok?” 

Varian was at a loss for words. She was real, and she was _here_ , and he just couldn’t seem to process it. The shock wouldn’t fade, in fact, it seemed to be getting worse-

 _Drip_. 

Varian cringed, squeezing his eyes shut at the sound. He had been so deep in thought and then she showed up that he hadn’t noticed it for a while but now- 

“It’s that bad, huh?” came a soft voice. 

Varian opened his eyes, staring at the girl. She glanced thoughtfully at the puddle of water in the corner before her gaze flickered back to Varian. 

“I know what they’ve been doing to you,” she said quietly. It was hardly noticeable, but Varian could hear the anger in her words. The girl reached for the bag hanging from her shoulder, fumbling with whatever was inside for a moment before her hand emerged with a pair of gloves. _His_ gloves. 

The girl slipped her hand through the bars, holding the gloves out to him. “I’m sorry,” she murmured. Her expression wasn’t pitiful, just... understanding. “I know something like that- it’s hard to get through.” For a split second, her gaze dropped to Varian’s bruised and bloody wrists before resuming eye contact, the anger in her eyes intensifying slightly. 

Varian eyed her warily, before reaching out and taking his gloves from her hand. He had thought he’d never get them back. The guards had let him keep them, but Orville had taken them day one, something about “not needing them anymore.” He had assumed the doctor had just thrown them away or turned them over to the captain...

It felt good to slip them on, finally having something familiar nearby again. Varian swallowed the sudden lump in his throat and looked back at the girl. “Where- Where are the guards?” 

The girl winced, looking back towards the door at the end of the hall. “Um.... I kind of body-slammed them together.... probably not the best idea,” she grimaced. 

“You did _wha_ t?” 

The girl shrugged nonchalantly. “They’ll be fine, just a little sore for a few days, maybe.”

Varian shook his head rapidly. This girl made no sense- “Who are you, exactly? What’s your name?” 

“It’s Zoë.” She seemed slightly more relaxed now, loosely gripping the bars as the flicker of a smile crossed her face. “It’s good to see you, Varian.” 

Good to see- _now wait just a minute!_

It was about at that point the craziness of it all decided to catch up to him. Here he was, having a conversation with a girl from a _dream_. She wasn’t supposed to even exist, much less say it was good to see him. Varian couldn’t even begin to fathom how she knew his _name_. 

_Why on earth was he only questioning this now?_

“Ok, this- this is crazy.” Varian ran his hands through his hair as he started to pace back and forth, wondering if he yanked his hard enough he’d snap out of it. “You- you aren’t supposed to be real, I mean- you can’t be- I saw you in a _dream_ -“ 

“ _What?_!” Zoë had suddenly gone very pale. Varian was too frazzled to really wonder why. 

“Yeah- I know, it’s weird, to say the least- you know what? Maybe I’m just hallucinating- because the probability of you turning out to be real after I saw you in a dream is _extremely_ low unless I somehow met you once and that dream is just how I’m remembering you; which is also unlikely because it would’ve had to be a long time ago and that’s impossible because you can’t be much older than me- _why are you looking at me like that_?!” 

Zoë was staring at him intensely, her eyes glazed over like she was in some kind of trance. Her eyes narrowed, and then just as quickly, widened in shock. 

She snapped out of it, clinging the the bars for support as she stumbled. Her breathing had gone erratic. “ _Damn it_ ,” she cursed. 

Varian blinked. “Excuse me?” 

Zoë’s gaze snapped back to him, some unreadable emotion flashing in her eyes. “How long have you been having it?” Everything about her tone screamed urgency. 

“What does that have to do with-“ 

“Just tell me Varian!” Zoë shouted. She sounded almost desperate, though her eyes told another story. She looked downright furious. With who, Varian didn’t know. 

He wasn’t sure he wanted to find out. 

“A couple of months, maybe? Since the-“

“Since the blizzard,” Zoë finished, pale as a ghost. “ _Damn_ it.” She tangled her fingers into her hair, and for a split second, Varian caught sight of a streak of bright blue before it vanished underneath the snow white waves. Zoë chewed her lip, looking conflicted. “Does anyone else know? 

Varian shook his head. “No.” 

“Good,” Zoë breathed. Her hands fell to her sides and starting curling in her midnight blue skirt. “Ok, this conversation is going nowhere so I’m going to cut to the chase. You’re the-“ 

“Wait,” Varian interrupted, crossing his arms. He was done with this. He had no idea what was going on, why Zoë was being so cryptic or why he was even still talking to her, and he wanted answers. “I don’t even know why you’re here, or who you are, so maybe after you tell me what’s going on I’ll listen to what you have to say.” 

Zoë rolled her eyes. “You sound so much like your dad.” 

Her words hit Varian like a ton of bricks. “You know my dad?” he whispered. 

Zoë nodded, holding up her left hand in a fist. Varian’s stomach dropped. 

Tied to a black leather cord around Zoë’s wrist was a silver charm, the exact same symbol that Varian had seen countless times when he was digging through his father’s old chest. He was struck with the sudden feeling that Zoë was telling the truth. 

Varian swallowed. “Why- Why are you here?” he asked hoarsely. 

Zoë’s expression dialed itself back to serious. “I promised your dad I’d protect you,” she began quietly, lowering her hand. “I haven’t been keeping it- not the way I should’ve been. But I’m- I’m here now, so-“ 

“Hold it,” Varian said flatly. He didn’t like the way she was talking. _Promised? As if!_ “You told my dad you’d protect me? Do you have any idea how crazy that sounds? Why would he pick _you_ , no offense, but you’re like _my_ age.” 

Zoë couldn’t seem to keep a sincere expression. “I’m older than I look.” 

“Ok, maybe fifteen? Sixteen?” 

“Try three hundred and fifty-seven.” 

Varian gave her a sour look. “You’re crazy.” 

Zoë smirked. “I’m serious. But yes, I’m also crazy.” 

Varian couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Did she even know what she was saying? Ok, the part about his dad he believed. Maybe. But her _age_? That wasn’t scientifically possible. Unless- _no, you do_ not _believe her_. 

Honestly, he had gotten too attached to this girl. It was messing with his sanity. “Why are you here?” he asked again. 

Zoë clapped her hands together. “ _Well_ , that’s a good question,” she said dryly. Her eyes flickered towards the ceiling, and her lips moved soundlessly, as if in prayer, before her gaze was on Varian again, like it never happened. “I’m here, because you- well, you have magic in you.” 

Varian burst out laughing. He just couldn’t help himself. Magic? In _him_? Now he was certain Zoë was crazy. It was just so ridiculous! Did she honestly think that he had _magic_? He would’ve known, dad would’ve _told_ him-“ 

_“You’re not ready.”_

_“I have found you at last, Moondrop.”_

Somehow the puzzle pieces fell into place all in their own. It all made terrible, terrible sense. Dad trying to keep him away from the rocks, the monster from his nightmare, and somehow, even _Rapunzel_ fit into it. She was the Sundrop, the monster had called him the Moondrop and- 

Varian choked back the sob climbing up his throat and turned away from Zoë, digging the heels of his palms against his eyes. He didn’t want her to be right, he didn’t _want_ her to be telling the truth. Dad- dad _couldn’t_ have lied, he _wouldn’t_ have. _Right?_

_No, please, no._

“You’re lying.” 

“What?” 

Varian lowered his hands, clenching them into fists as he whirled around to face Zoë, desperately holding back the tears threatening to fall. “You’re _lying_. Magic- magic doesn’t exist.” 

Zoë didn’t seem happy with his denial. “I know that you believe in magic, after all that’s happened.” 

“No I _don’t_ -“ 

Varian’s voice cut off as Zoë suddenly reached through the bars, her eyes _glowing_. He would’ve screamed, but in that moment, the tips of Zoë’s fingers touched his chest, and his world dissolved into white. 

He could _feel_ it, an unearthly energy lying deep beneath the surface, buried within him. It was dormant, but alive, in a way, just waiting to be released. It was like Moonlight shining inside of him. He could almost feel it coursing through his veins, _yes, yes, wake up_ \- 

Varian was jolted back to reality as Zoë pulled her hand away. Her eyes were still glowing, the same vivid blue they were normally, but now that blue filled her eyes, sharp and cold, almost to bright to look at. 

Zoë blinked, and just as quickly as they had lit up, her eyes were back to normal. Her lips parted slightly, the question in her expression obvious. 

Varian swallowed, fighting back tears as he looked away. She was telling the _truth_. He didn’t want to believe her, but he knew she wasn’t lying. There was magic in him. He had _felt_ it. Dad- dad had _lied_ to him- _no_. He couldn’t admit that, he couldn’t break down in front of anyone. 

Somehow he found the strength to force the words out. “I- I believe you.” 

Zoë breathed a sigh of relief. “Ok,” she said gently. “Look, I didn’t want to spring this all on you, but you’re in danger.” 

“The monster.” Varian said instantly, the answer suddenly coming from nowhere. “That- That thing in my nightmare, right?” 

Zoë’s eyes widened. “Did it have a ram’s skull?” she asked tersely. 

Varian nodded wordlessly. 

Zoë closed her eyes, taking a deep breath before she continued. “That monster is really a warlock called Zhan Tiri,” she said, almost reluctantly. “He’s been trying to get ahold of the Moondrop for _years_ , and if he finds out where you are then all hell is going to break loose. Which is why I’ve got to get you out of here.” 

“Get me out?” Varian repeated. “I- that’s impossible, I’ve _tried_.” And failed numerous times. His escape attempts had only led to more time with Orville, so he had given up on them. 

“I could take on the whole royal guard and win easily.” Zoë had a mischievous glint in her eye. “You’re not the only person with magic in you.” 

Well, he could believe the magic part. She had seemed _insanely_ powerful in his nightmare. But the entire royal guard? Unlikely. 

And was he willing to take the risk? He had only just _met_ this girl and now she wanted to help him escape? He was clueless as to how she seemed to know so much about him, but he didn’t know a thing about her, and she expected him to trust her? Just like that?

A small part of him wanted to. The part that wanted things to go back to the way they were before the rocks destroyed everything, before he had been abandoned. The part of him that had clung on to the hope that a strange but brave girl from a nightmare would come help him. 

But she was _nothing_ like she was in the nightmare. He had no way of telling if she was trustworthy, even if something inside him wanted to believe that she was. 

“I don’t trust you,” Varian said cynically, voicing his thoughts. “I just met you, and maybe you’re telling the truth about me having- _powers_ , but that doesn’t mean you’re lying about everything else.” 

Zoë didn’t seem surprised by his words. “I know you don’t trust me,” she stated plainly. “I don’t blame you, I know it’s hard to trust people when you’ve been through the things you have. But sometimes you have to take a leap of faith.” Her gaze was almost pleading. “ _Please_. If you let me get you out of here, I’ll tell you everything.” 

Varian raised an eyebrow. “Everything as in-?”

Zoë leveled her gaze at him. “Everything your dad kept from you, where he was from, how you got your powers, the black rocks, _all of it_. The second you’re safe I’ll give you all the answers.” 

It was tempting to say the least. She could be lying. This could all be some elaborate trap, and he could be walking right into it. But sitting in here wasn’t going to help his dad, and the torture was only getting worse. If there was a _chance_ Zoë was telling the truth- 

His eyes darted to the bracelet that she wore, the symbol that was somehow connected to his father. It had to mean _something_. 

“Let me get this straight. You’ll get me out, and the second you do you’ll tell me?” 

“I swear it.” 

Varian sighed, nodding. This was probably going to backfire, but he was desperate at this point. He needed answers. “Then I’ll come.” 

Zoë looked visibly relieved. “Ok-“ she reached for the lock on the door, a soft breeze coming out of nowhere. “Let me just-“ 

“Freeze!” 

~•~

Zoë rolled her eyes, holding back a frustrated groan. She had just told Varian the secret that had been kept from him his entire life, and convinced him to come with her, and _now_ someone decided to show up? 

She turned around, plastering a huge sarcastic smile on her face. A guard was standing at the end of the hall, his sword drawn. The Captain, if she was remembering correctly. She hadn’t thought he was the type to point a sword at a teenager, but it wasn’t like that was going to make a difference. 

_Oh this is going to be fun_.

“Good morning Captain! Just busting Varian out, if you don’t mind, I-“ 

“No one’s busting anyone out,” the Captain snarled, approaching Zoë. “Hands up.” 

Zoë couldn’t stop herself from laughing. Like he thought he could actually overpower her. Behind her, she could hear Varian backing away. Probably thought things were about to go horribly wrong. Boy, was he in for a surprise. 

The Captain was getting close, making a wide arc around her until they were straight across from each other. “Who are you and how did you get in here?” he demanded. 

Zoë let another giggle loose. “Honestly? It was your guards’ incompetence! I could’ve beat them in a fight when I was _six_ -“ she was interrupted by the captain stepping closer, the tip of his sword only inches from her face. “Well that’s just rude,” she said sardonically. 

“Last warning! Hands up!” 

Zoë rolled her eyes again before giving the Captain a bored look. “Ok, I’m done.” 

Quick as lightning, she ducked underneath the sword and grabbed it by the hilt, wrenching it out of the Captain’s grasp. Her other hand connected with his breastplate, and the resulting blast of wind sent him flying into the empty cell opposite her. The impact seemed to have knocked him unconscious, and he fell to the floor limply. With another flick of her wrist, the door slammed shut, and the ring of keys hanging from the Captain’s belt soared into her outstretched hand. 

Zoë started examining the sword, humming to herself. “Bested by a _teenager_. What a shame, you-“ Zoë’s eyes narrowed, and she poked at the blade with her finger, incredulous. “What is this, the _Stone Age_?” she complained loudly, throwing the sword to the side. “Damn, I can’t find any good swords anymore...” 

She unlocked and threw open the door to Varian’s cell, tossing the the key ring over her shoulder, it’s purpose served. “You ready to go?” she asked cheerfully. “Cuz I sure am.” 

Varian was staring at her, looking slightly annoyed, but almost impressed. “ _What_ was that? 

“Wind,” Zoë replied casually, tucking a strand of hair behind her shoulder. “Now are we going or not?” 

“Yeah, hang on.” Varian turned back towards his bed, picking up a certain raccoon that Zoë hadn’t noticed until now. The small animal looked up at Varian with half open eyes, clearly still sleepy. Zoë had no idea how it had slept through all their noise. 

“It’s- it’s ok Ruddiger, we’re leaving.” Varian gently stroked his pet’s fur, giving Zoë a skeptical look. 

Zoë carefully kept her expression neutral. She knew Varian had no reason to trust her. Trusting wasn’t easy, especially if you had been betrayed by those you called friends. Heck, he had probably agreed to come with her only because she knew exactly what to say to convince him. She wasn’t a fan of bribery, but if it meant keeping Varian safe, she’d do it. 

“Well, were not going anywhere if we just stand here,” Zoë said. “Let’s go.” 

Varian nodded, slowly walking out of his cell. The way his breathing became more labored and the way he clutched Ruddiger a little closer didn’t escape Zoë’s notice. “You Ok?” 

“My chemicals are in the captain’s office,” Varian said, ignoring her question, distrust evident on his face. “Can we get them?” 

Zoë pursed her lips. This would probably be the first time he was stepping out of his cell without having to go to that awful room. No wonder he looked so uncomfortable. He was anticipating going there, and it was scaring him. 

As for getting the chemicals, that would waste some time, but she needed to show Varian that she was on his side. _Baby steps_ , she reminded herself. Giving him this would be a start. 

“Definitely,” Zoë answered, striding down the hall towards the door. One stop, that was all it was. After that, Varian was free. Her gaze hardened in determination. “One quick stop and then we get the hell out of here.” 

~•~

Varian followed Zoë at a brisk pace through the corridor, trying his hardest to keep his footsteps quiet. He had no idea how Zoë was so awfully silent, with those heeled leather boots she was in. 

A satchel was draped over his shoulder, filled to the brim with the chemicals the guards had confiscated during his arrest. Zoë had had to knock out two guards to get them, but it wasn’t like Varian cared. He was more impressed by her skills (even though he would never admit it). 

If he was being honest, Zoë was intriguing. Not only by how mysterious she was, but her _powers_. She could manipulate the wind itself wind a single wave of her hand. There had to be some sort of scientific explanation behind them, and he was just _dying_ to find out how they worked. Seemed like not all of his natural curiosity had gone away after all. 

Zoë slowed as they neared a corner, holding up a hand to signal for Varian to wait. He was glad for the break in walking, he was terribly exhausted. Sleep deprivation, combined with his lack of appetite and the torture was taking its toll on his body. 

Zoë peered around the corner, a hushed but delighted squeal escaping her. “There’s a window!” she whispered. “Come on!” 

Varian followed Zoë down the new hallway, towards the window. To freedom. On his shoulder, Ruddiger chittered excitedly. Hope swelled within him, he was so close- 

“What do we have here?” 

Varian froze. 

_No no no, please, not him_.

The horribly familiar voice came again, harsher this time. “Look at me when I’m speaking to you!” 

Varian flinched, slowly turning around to face Orville. He couldn’t disobey otherwise he’d just have to go through more- 

“Varian?” Zoë asked, coming to stand next to him, her fists raised. “Are you ok?” 

The doctor, standing at the end of the hall they had just come from, laughed. “I can’t have my patient running off, can I?” 

Varian involuntarily took a step back, putting Zoë between Orville and himself, trying to ignore just how much he was trembling. _Just ignore it, ignore him_. Ruddiger curled tighter around his shoulders, his teeth bared at the doctor. 

This was wrong, he shouldn’t have done this. He _knew_ they would get caught, and now he’d have to go back in that room and drown over and over again- 

“ _You_!” Zoë sounded so enraged it nearly made Varian flinch again, snapping him out of his panicked thoughts. Her fists curled tighter. “You’ve been the one torturing him?!” 

Orville’s grin intensified. “My dear, I’d hardly call my treatment torture. I, Doctor Aaron Orville, am one of the few practitioners of this rare form of therapy. Rare, but hardly unheard of. But what would you know? You’re nothing but a child!” 

It had clearly been the wrong thing to say, because Zoe lunged. 

~•~

Orville lurched forward, thrust by the wind as Zoe reached out, her fingers closing around his throat. She pulled him down to face her, ignoring his attempts to pry her hand off, and fixed him with a hatred filled glare. 

“ _I am not a child_ ,” she snarled. 

Adrenaline and red hot anger coursing through her veins, Zoë _threw_ Orville against the wall, the wind howling in her ears. 

She turned back to Varian, who stood frozen a few feet away. “Are you alright?” she asked, trying to keep the anger out of her voice. 

Varian nodded silently, his eyes wide with fear. 

Zoë stepped closer to him, holding out her hand. She knew he didn’t trust her. But she also knew how traumatized he was, and right now he needed some sort of reassurance. “Let’s just get out of here.” 

To her surprise, Varian took her hand. The barest trace of a smile crossed Zoë’s face. It was a start. 

“He’ll come for you!” Orville shouted maniacally from behind them. “You may have the West Wind but he’ll come for you!” 

Zoë froze for the briefest of seconds, her eyes wide, before she was flying at Orville, a knife drawn from the recesses of her clothes. With a furious snarl, she plunged the knife through Orville’s hand and into the wall, eliciting a scream from the doctor as blood poured from the wound. 

“Who?!” Zoë all but screamed in Orville’s face, her eyes blazing. “Who’s coming for him?!” 

Orville smiled wickedly. “I think you know.” 

Zoë’s blood turned to ice. No- that- that wasn’t possible. Zhan Tiri _couldn’t_ know. He had absolutely no way of finding out, unless- the nightmare. Varian had said that Zhan Tiri was part of it. The nightmare had been caused by the small amount of power that had awoken after the blizzard so- _damn it_ \- of _course_ he knew. 

“No,” Zoë breathed, her voice as cold as ice. “You tell Zhan Tiri that I’m coming for _him_.” 

She tore her knife free from Orville’s hand, the wicked part of her savoring the sound of his scream. She turned on her heel and made her way back towards Varian, only to be stopped by a shiver running down her spine as Orville spoke again. 

“I’ll do that.” 

Zoë whirled around, her knife raised and dripping with blood. Orville was holding his bleeding hand, but didn’t seem to be in much pain. Instead, he was smiling, a dark glint in his eyes. She took a step forward- 

“Zoë don’t!” 

Zoë stopped dead in her tracks as Varian’s voice jolted her out of the haze of anger. She hadn’t just been about to-

 _Was that what it looked like_? 

She forced her hand down to her side, her arm trembling. Orville’s smile widened, and Zoë glared back. _If looks could kill...._

Demanitus had been _right_. She shouldn’t have come. The risk of her losing control of her temper increased a hundredfold when she was around people. That was _exactly_ what Zhan Tiri wanted, for her to slip back into her old ways, be willing to kill without a second thought. And she _refused_ to do that. 

“Zoë.” Varian’s shaking voice called out. “Come on, we have to-“ 

“What’s going on here?!” A thunderous voice boomed, one Zoe instantly recognized. 

_Well isn’t today my lucky day_

Zoë tucked her knife back into her belt and grabbed Varian by the arm, pulling him close to her. He didn’t resist. 

King Frederic and several guards rounded the corner next to the window, effectively blocking their exit. 

“Get them!” Frederic roared. “But don’t harm the boy!” 

Rage clouded Zoë’s senses again. _Don’t harm him?_ Frederic had been letting Varian be _tortured_ and he had the audacity to say that?! That little son of a- 

Zoë threw her hands up, and the guards flew into the air, slamming against the ceiling. Problem solved. She dropped them back to the ground, unconscious, before approaching Frederic. 

The king drew his own sword and aimed it at her, though his gaze was focused on Varian. “Who are you?” 

Zoë snapped her fingers, and the king’s sword was ripped from his hands in a gust of concentrated wind. “My name is Zoë, _Frederic_.” Royal titles were something she had always hated. 

A bright pink orb shattered on the ground at Frederic’s feet, entrapping him in what Zoë recognized as one of Varian’s goo traps.

“Zoë! We have to go!” Varian yelled from behind her. 

“No one’s going anywhere-!” Frederic was unable to finish as Zoë sent a stream of wind to hold his mouth shut, and further immobilizing him with yet more air currents. 

She took a step closer. “Have you ever had that feeling? Wanting to kill someone?” Zoë’s voice was quiet. Dangerous. “I _hate_ that feeling. Believe me.” 

With a flick of her wrist, she rose into the air, supported by the wind so she was face to face with the king. Her tone turned even icier. “But that doesn’t mean I’m afraid to give into it.” She leaned in to whisper in Frederic’s ear. “Remember that, because next time I’m not promising that I’ll walk out of here without blood on my hands.” She wouldn’t kill, not without reason. But a threat? She could live with that. 

She lowered herself back to the ground, and without a moment’s hesitation, _punched_ Frederic right in the nose. 

The sharp _crack_ of his nose breaking was accompanied by a shriek of pain and blood spurting everywhere as the king collapsed, knocked out cold. Oh, there was some dark humor in there somewhere-

“ _Whoops_ , look at that,” Zoë mused with a smirk, carefully observing her fist. “I got blood on my hand.” 

~•~

“Are you done?” Varian kept his gaze carefully oriented away from Zoë’s hand, already nauseous from the tangy scent of blood. 

“Yeah, I’m done.” Zoë leaned over to wipe her hand on Frederic’s robes. “Sorry, I’ve just been wanting to do that for _ages_.” 

“ _Uh huh_.” Varian carefully picked his way around the unconscious bodies strewn on the floor. “Why, exactly? You only met him today.” 

Zoë threw the window open, leaning over the sill. “Escape now, explain later.” She looked over her shoulder, her eyes widening. “Oh, great.” 

Varian turned around to see what Zoë was looking at. Or rather, wasn’t looking at. 

Orville was gone. 

Varian wrapped his arms around himself, shuddering slightly as he turned back to Zoë. “Where did he go?” 

“As long as it’s nowhere near you, I don’t care,” she replied coldly, sticking her leg out the window. “Now come on, we’re burning daylight.” 

They made it off the island without further incident, though alarm bells started going off not long after they escaped the castle. 

Zoë didn’t seem too bothered by it, in fact, she appeared to be enjoying herself. 

It only served to make Varian suspicious. She had gone from sincere to sassy to complete fury and back again in an instant. Not to mention she had looked just about ready to _murder_ Orville. If he hadn’t stopped her-

Why had he stopped her? He _hated_ Orville, more than he hated Rapunzel. Yet for some reason, when Zoë had raised her knife he just couldn’t let her do it. 

It made no sense. If someone had asked him a few hours ago if he would stop someone from killing Orville, he would asked them if it was even a question. Because until Zoë had pulled out that knife, he would’ve been overjoyed to finally have his tormenter gone. 

Something had changed, and Varian had a feeling it had to do with the white haired girl who was leading him into the forest. 

As they disappeared into the trees, Varian made his mind up. He had to keep his guard up around Zoë, at least until he was certain her intentions weren’t hostile towards him, even if it didn’t seem that way right now. He wouldn’t trust her. 

Not yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that was crazy. this chapter ended up being way longer and way more serious than i planned. i rewrote it so many times that it doesn't even make sense to me anymore. I hope it wasn't too confusing. Hopefully you won't have to wait nearly as long for the next chapter. as always, comments are appreciated. See ya soon!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading! this is my first fanfic, and I'm still figuring out Ao3, so i apologize if anything is formatted weird. I'm hoping to improve my writing with this. the next chapter will hopefully be up on saturday, and then updates will be every two weeks. Kudos and comments are greatly appreciated!


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